Trump Pressures Japan on Defense Spending Ahead of 2026 Midterms

Japan is bracing for increased pressure from President Donald Trump on defense spending, payments for U.S. troops, and monetary policy as Washington approaches the November 2026 midterm elections.

Tokyo and Washington are set to negotiate a new five-year agreement covering Japan's financial support for U.S. forces beginning in fiscal 2027.

A senior Defense Ministry official warned that Tokyo should be prepared for pressure to increase its contribution, which was over 200 billion yen ($1.25 billion) in fiscal 2026.

Trump has previously argued that U.S. allies should shoulder more of their defense costs, and during his first term, his administration sought to more than quadruple Japan's contribution.

The pressure also extends to currency policy, with the U.S. and Japan recently coordinating yen-buying intervention as the Japanese currency weakened.